AP Govt Announces Rs 10 Lakh Ex Gratia For Missing Fishermen's Families
8 July 2026 10:47 AM IST8 July 2026 10:47 AM IST
"The government stands with the affected families and has approved an immediate ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh each for them," Andhra Pradesh Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu said on Tuesday.
AP Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu | DC Library
Visakhapatnam: AP government has awarded a compensation of ₹10 lakh each to families of six fishermen who have gone missing at sea. Excise minister Kollu Ravindra, accompanied by MLAs Vamsikrishna Yadav and Lokam Madhavi, district collector Abhijit Kishore, and Fisheries commissioner Rama Shankar Naik, handed over ₹10-lakh cheques to each of the family on Wednesday at the Mechanised Boats’ Association building.
The compensation follows extensive search by the Coast Guard, Navy, and Marine police for more than 72 hours. But the search failed in locating the missing fishermen or their dead bodies.
As a result, the three-member fact-finding committee, comprising the revenue divisional officer, assistant commissioner of police, and assistant director of Fisheries, tasked with ascertaining the status of the missing fishermen, concluded that the fishermen may be presumed to have died while at sea. The committee thus recommended that ex-gratia and insurance be given to families of the six missing fishermen under the Group Accident Insurance Scheme (GAIS).
Handing over the cheques, the minister reassured the families of comprehensive support. He said as there is no trace of missing fishermen and based on the lone survivor Kari Chinna’s statement and the Coast Guard’s report, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has ordered the release of compensation.
Minister Ravindra said Kari Chinna, the owner of the fishing boat, who survived but lost the boat, would also receive support. He recalled that Chandrababu Naidu is the first leader in India to provide compensation for boats lost during Cyclone Hudhud.
Ravindra pointed to other initiatives, increasing the fishing ban period allowance to ₹20,000, introducing pensions for fishermen at age 50, and providing fuel subsidies for boats. He assured that subsidies for nets and boats would also be extended.
The mechanised fishing boat IND-AP-MM-V5-83, owned by Kari Chinna, left Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour on July 1 with seven crew members. After three days of fishing, the vessel overturned on July 4 in rough seas off the coast of Gangavaram. All seven had been thrown into the water and separated while attempting to reach nearby vessels.
Merchant Vessel Universal Wealthy rescued survivor Kari Chinna on July 5 after he drifted overnight. Navy personnel brought him ashore. The six missing fishermen are Raguthu Bandiyya, Meda Chinna Ammoru, Kari Chinnayya, Kari Seethodu, Amara Appalaraju, and Kari Garagayya.
As a result, the three-member fact-finding committee, comprising the revenue divisional officer, assistant commissioner of police, and assistant director of Fisheries, tasked with ascertaining the status of the missing fishermen, concluded that the fishermen may be presumed to have died while at sea. The committee thus recommended that ex-gratia and insurance be given to families of the six missing fishermen under the Group Accident Insurance Scheme (GAIS).
Handing over the cheques, the minister reassured the families of comprehensive support. He said as there is no trace of missing fishermen and based on the lone survivor Kari Chinna’s statement and the Coast Guard’s report, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has ordered the release of compensation.
Minister Ravindra said Kari Chinna, the owner of the fishing boat, who survived but lost the boat, would also receive support. He recalled that Chandrababu Naidu is the first leader in India to provide compensation for boats lost during Cyclone Hudhud.
Ravindra pointed to other initiatives, increasing the fishing ban period allowance to ₹20,000, introducing pensions for fishermen at age 50, and providing fuel subsidies for boats. He assured that subsidies for nets and boats would also be extended.
The mechanised fishing boat IND-AP-MM-V5-83, owned by Kari Chinna, left Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour on July 1 with seven crew members. After three days of fishing, the vessel overturned on July 4 in rough seas off the coast of Gangavaram. All seven had been thrown into the water and separated while attempting to reach nearby vessels.
Merchant Vessel Universal Wealthy rescued survivor Kari Chinna on July 5 after he drifted overnight. Navy personnel brought him ashore. The six missing fishermen are Raguthu Bandiyya, Meda Chinna Ammoru, Kari Chinnayya, Kari Seethodu, Amara Appalaraju, and Kari Garagayya.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
Next Story